M&A: Page 4

  • A picture of a Chipotle with a pickup lane.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle targets Gen Z with wellness Snapchat Lens, menu items

    To address how Gen Z and millennials approach wellness, the chain is focused on convenience and mobile gamification.

    By Aaron Baar • Jan. 3, 2023
  • Inspire Brands Alliance Kitchen
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    Permission granted by Inspire Brands
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    Inspire sells Rusty Taco to Gala Capital Partners

    The restaurant, which has grown its footprint 50% since Inspire acquired it in 2018, will retain its current management team. 

    By • Updated Dec. 21, 2022
  • Shot of three business persons filling in paperwork in an office. Explore the Trendline➔
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    VioletaStoimenova via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Restaurant Financing

    With ongoing macroeconomic pressures facing restaurants, operators are entering into alternative financing, mergers and acquisitions and even bankruptcy to sustain their businesses. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A promotional image for Freshii's coffee beverages.
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    Courtesy of Freshii
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    Freshii sells to Foodtastic for $54.5M

    Cash-strapped Freshii, which operates 37 U.S. locations out of 330-plus North American stores, marks Foodtastic’s second restaurant buy this month. 

    By • Dec. 19, 2022
  • An image of a building with Fuzzy's Taco Shop logo.
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    Courtesy of Dine Brands
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    Dine Brands to buy Fuzzy’s Taco Shop for $80M

    The acquisition is the first for Dine Brands since it was founded in 2007, and adds a third restaurant to its portfolio. 

    By • Dec. 5, 2022
  • An image of a Wetzel's Pretzels inside a Macy's.
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    Retrieved from Wetzel's Pretzels on November 02, 2022
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    MTY Food Group buys Wetzel’s Pretzels for $207M

    The purchase of the pretzel chain, which aims to reach 400 units by 2023, follows MTY’s acquisition of BBQ Holdings in September.

    By • Nov. 2, 2022
  • First Watch restaurant
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    Permission granted by First Watch
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    First Watch launches a secondary IPO

    The move comes weeks after Portillo’s announced a secondary offering, and may signal increasing confidence in the market after a slow IPO year.

    By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 14, 2022
  • Famous Dave's in Chantilly, Virgnia taken by Julie Littman of Restaurant Dive
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive
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    BBQ Holdings to be acquired by MTY Food Group for $200M

    The transaction will add nine brands to the Canada-based company and allow it to further expand its U.S. portfolio, which also includes Papa Murphy’s. 

    By • Aug. 9, 2022
  • QDOBA Burrito
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    Courtesy of QDOBA
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    Butterfly Equity to buy Qdoba, fold it into Modern Restaurant Concepts

    With the addition of the Mexican fast casual chain, Modern Restaurant Concepts expects growth potential to reach 3,000 units across brands. 

    By • Aug. 9, 2022
  • 7-Eleven launches 7Now Gold Pass.
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven reportedly acquires delivery startup, intends to compete with DoorDash

    The c-store giant bought Skipcart, which provides same-day and on-demand delivery, according to The Information. 

    By Brett Dworski • Aug. 8, 2022
  • Bellagreen
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    Courtesy of Ampex Brands
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    Ampex Brands acquires American bistro concept Bellagreen

    The franchise group plans to introduce the eight-unit chain in every major metro area, Ampex CEO Tabbassum Mumtaz said.

    By Alicia Kelso • July 25, 2022
  • An image of a roundabout with a fountain outside a beige building with a sign that says Keke's Breakfast Cafe
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    Permission granted by Denny's
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    Denny's completes $82.5M acquisition of Keke's Breakfast Cafe

    The breakfast chain, which has 52 locations in Florida, is expected to provide expansion opportunities as a complementary concept for Denny’s.

    By • July 21, 2022
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    Permission granted by Grubhub
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    Grubhub, Amazon partner to expand Grubhub+ membership

    Amazon will be given warrants worth 2% in Grubhub shares, and access to additional shares if it brings more customers to Grubhub.

    By • July 6, 2022
  • Panera Bread storefront
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    Permission granted by Panera Bread
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    Panera terminates agreement with Danny Meyer's SPAC

    Due to unfavorable capital market conditions, Panera Brands and USHG Acquisition Corp. ended their relationship Friday. Panera said it will continue to explore a public listing if conditions improve.

    By • July 1, 2022
  • A Grubhub courier. Grubhub and Sonesta will offer delivery to 120 extended stay hotels.
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    The image by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Grubhub CEO: A strong partnership is preferred as company mulls future

    Just Eat Takeaway is focused on improving its U.S. business, but a sale isn’t off the table, Grubhub CEO Adam DeWitt said at the Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum.

    By • Updated June 29, 2022
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    Chicken Salad Chick
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    Chicken Salad Chick inks franchise deals as it targets 500 units by 2025

    The fast casual chain signed two agreements that will bring 16 more locations to Texas, with plans to open about 50 restaurants nationwide this year. 

    By • June 22, 2022
  • An image of a donut and other food items with a smartphone in the foreground
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    Courtesy of Lunchbox
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    Lunchbox acquires NovaDine to improve offerings for enterprise chains

    The transaction will enable restaurants to manage digital guest experiences from a single operating system and increase Lunchbox’s scale.  

    By Alicia Kelso • June 8, 2022
  • Nestle Toll House Cafe cookies
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    Retrieved from Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip on May 25, 2022
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    Fat Brands to buy Nestle Toll House Cafe, bolstering its dessert category

    Fat plans to turn Nestle Toll House Cafe's 85 units into Great American Cookies locations after the acquisition closes. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

    By • May 25, 2022
  • Wendy's
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    Thai Phi Le/Restaurant Dive
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    Wendy's largest shareholder proposes to buy company

    Trian Partners and billionaire owner Nelson Peltz told the chain's board of directors Tuesday that Trian would explore an acquisition, merger or other transaction in which it would own the company.

    By • May 25, 2022
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    Courtesy of Woworks
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    Woworks acquires fast casual chains Barberitos, Zoup

    The parent company of Saladworks will grow to six brands and over 400 locations with these two purchases. 

    By • May 13, 2022
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    Mike Mozart via Flickr
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    Denny's preps for growth as it hires Kelli Valade as CEO

    Red Lobster's former CEO will oversee several initiatives, including an $82.5 million acquisition of a Florida breakfast concept, tech upgrades and expansion of ghost kitchens. 

    By • May 4, 2022
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    Cindy Ord via Getty Images
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    Just Eat Takeaway considering sale of Grubhub

    JET CEO Jitse Groen confirmed Wednesday the company is in active discussions for a strategic partnership and/or a partial or full sale of its U.S. subsidiary, which it bought in 2020.

    By • April 20, 2022
  • Main Event Entertainment location
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    Permission granted by Main Event
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    Dave & Buster's to buy Main Event for $835M

    Following the close of the all-cash transaction, which is expected to occur later this year, Main Event CEO Chris Morris will become Dave & Buster's CEO.

    By • April 6, 2022
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    DoorDash buys Bbot to bolster in-store digital ordering capabilities

    The deal may grow DoorDash's partner business footprint, since Bbot services restaurants, hotels, bars, food halls, ghost kitchens and bowling alleys.

    By Alicia Kelso • March 1, 2022
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    Michael Steeber via Wikimedia Commons
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    McDonald's sells AI tech firm Dynamic Yield to Mastercard

    Franchisees complained Dynamic Yield hadn't delivered the sales boosts they expected at the drive-thru. The deal reflects McDonald's pivot toward outsourcing its technology.

    By • Dec. 21, 2021
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    Permission granted by Waitr
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    Waitr plans to acquire a cannabis dispensary POS company for $90M

    The delivery company expects transactions on Cova's platform to reach approximately $2.3 billion. 

    By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 20, 2021